Written by

Rachel George

USA Today Sports

ATLANTA — Kevin Ware received constant medical attention following his horrific leg injury suffered in the first half of Louisville's Midwest Regional final win over Duke last Sunday. His mother said Saturday at the Final Four that the public response to his misfortune could require some dental care.

Baked goods, homemade brownies, cookies and fruit baskets have arrived en masse, so many that Ware will need help consuming them.

"While he's resting, he should be gaining a lot of weight," said Lisa Junior, Ware's mother. "Not only are we going to have to watch his leg, we're going to have to take him to the dentist."

Junior was sitting courtside in Louisville's parents section at the Georgia Dome. It was the climax of a week that saw nationwide attention and even an international apparel company focused on her son, a Cardinals sophomore.

Many members of the media and fans saw "Ri5e To The Occasion" T-shirts as another example of greed in college sports, where schools and shoe companies make money on the backs of student-athletes.

One noteworthy person didn't: his mother.

The shirts used a familiar slogan with Ware's number inserted, but it was almost universally derided as exploiting the reserve guard's injury.

Junior saw it as a rare negative moment in a week of positives.

"I felt that there were so many other things going on at the time; to make it an issue when so much positiveness was coming out of it was meaningless," she said at halftime of the Cardinals' national semifinal game vs. Wichita State.

"It was sad that the media portrayed it as Louisville trying to take advantage of the situation."

Ware suffered a compound fracture when trying to block a three-pointer against Duke. His lower leg collapsed as he landed, his bone protruding through his skin.

Yet it was Ware's message to his weeping teammates that helped Louisville rally to defeat Duke. Win the game, he told them. Get Kevin home, coach Rick Pitino instructed his players, who would need to win to get Ware close to his home outside of Atlanta.

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It was a rare injury and a moving response played out on live television, making Ware an overnight celebrity.

Shortly after, the shirts followed. Schools with Adidas contracts had worn "Rise To The Occasion" shirts throughout the postseason.

With Ware's number inserted, the shirts went on sale early this week on Louisville's website for $24.99. The school and Adidas were criticized for seemingly trying to profit off Ware's misfortune while NCAA rules prohibit him from receiving any of that money. Some of the Cardinals players agreed.

Louisville announced that it had waived royalties for the shirts before Adidas told USA TODAY Sports on Friday that it had halted sales of the item.

"It was really nice, honestly" said Ware, agreeing with his mother. "For them to put that thought into doing that for me, it was just more support and what I really needed."

Junior said the shirts would have been a way for fans to support Ware, who became the story of the tournament this week. She never doubted the intentions of Louisville officials.

"He works for Louisville after all," she said.

Junior described this week as chaotic for Ware, a blitz of interviews and television appearances, including reading David Letterman's "Top Ten," after Ware had surgery Sunday night to repair the leg. Ware has not been to class as he remained in an Indianapolis hospital until Tuesday before going to Louisville and proceeding on to Atlanta.

"We had no idea this was going to blow up the way that it did," Junior said.

Phone calls of support came from everywhere. Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson and the Rev. Jesse Jackson called. So did First Lady Michelle Obama, whom Junior said was her idol.

"He was sedated, so he didn't remember the phone call," she said.

Once the season ends, Junior knows the attention will fade. She said she'll help Ware get settled back in at Louisville and visit as often as she can. He has a long recovery to get back to basketball, but seeing him apply life lessons this week makes her believe he can return.

For now, she has enjoyed the outpouring of support. Signs throughout the stands at the Georgia Dome read, "Win for Ware." Amar'e Stoudemire paid for 1,000 cutouts of Ware's head that were scattered in the crowd.

Before the game, Louisville's players wore "Ri5e To The Occasion" shirts with Ware's number on the back.